Customs of Male Nobility

The Pirate King's Notes on the life of the
Male
Upper
Class European Nobility
during the Renaissance

Social standing was a subject much
debated, rank being considered much more
significant than nationality or even
color. "We divide our people commonly
into four sorts", wrote William
Harrison. At the summit were the nobles.
Fashion follows power. Rich men who
chose to dress in somber hues were rare.

The Sumptuary Laws passed by Henry VIII
in 1510 which decreed that Cloth of
gold, of silk and purple were for the
royal family. Only dukes and above could
have tissue of cloth of gold, only earls
and above could wear sables, and no one
below the rank of baron could wear gold,
silver, satin, silk or mixed cloth.
Crimson and blue velvet were for the
Order of the Garter and its superiors.
Only mayors and officials were entitled
to velvet gowns and marten's fur. The
"square" look began to spread in the
early 1500's.

Gowns became wider, sleeves bigger, and
shoes square in the toe. It was a
masculine look for it made males much
broader and bulkier than most could be
by natural means. Generally worn loose
with the fronts folded back into deep
lapels, the chemise (coat) assisted in
creating the square silhouette
characteristic of the early sixteenth
century. It was made with two layers of
fabric and interlining of padding or
"stuffs." The outside was of heavy silk,
while the lining was linen. The padding
was usually horsehair though sometimes
it was straw. The doublet was cut wide
at the front, without buttons,
displaying the shirt and stomacher and
it gained deeply pleated skirts. The
skirts skimmed the knee to cover up
except the skirt did not conceal the
codpiece.

The codpiece was an elaborate functional
bulge, joining the two halves of upper
stock (hose) above the crotch. This
puffed, slashed, padded grotesque
breeches-closing continued in style
despite censoring and banning by the
church. It was a bag or box that
concealed the front opening of breeches.
Elaborately decorated it was secured by
lacing or buttons. The container served
to hold money, handkerchief and
sometimes bonbons.

The upper part of the figure was also
made to appear square, bulky and
broad-shouldered by heavily padding the
sleeves. Puffing and slashes in the
increased the illusion of a strong
masculine figure. Sleeve styles were the
same as those of the doublets, and there
were also sleeves that had cross slits
at the elbows or a long vertical slit on
the outside. Arms could be withdrawn
from the long cumbersome sleeves through
these slits, allowing more freedom of
movement.

A linen shirt gathered high around the
neckline, or square, embroidery-edged
neckline was worn next to the body.
Brief padded, slashed a puffed breeches
known as pumpkin breeches were worn over
thigh length tubes (upper stock) with
hose covering the rest of the legs and
feet.

Late in the fifteenth century,
the pointy-toed poulaine was discarded
and replaced by the broad-toed slipper
known as the duck's bill. The duck's
bill became excessively wide. At one
time these ankle strap slippers measured
twelve inches across at the toes. They
were worn by men and made of silks,
brocades, and velvets, heavily
embroidered, padded, slashed and puffed.

To keep from walking on their toes, men
were forced into a duck's waddling gait.
Those worn for the popular game of
tennis were soled with felt. Another
type of shoe was very low-cut around the
heel, and many were made like "mules",
with no back. Boots to the ankle, calf
or ending in turn-over tops above the
knee, were of soft leather and much
wrinkled, forming clumsy leg coverings.
They were used mainly for travelling,
riding and hunting.

The "flat-cap", a head covering in
use by all classes from the 1530's
onward, had a shallow, soft crown and
small unsegmented brim lying flat. It
could be put on straight or tilted. It
was worn by apprentices and artisans in
utilitarian materials, but the
well-to-do wore velvet, often with a
jeweled band or large jeweled brooches
held the plumes to the crown, standing
erect or trailing off the brim at the
back.

Noble men wore large jeweled
neck-chains, made to fit across the
collar bones or shoulders rather than
around the neck, and sometimes to hold
the two sides of a cloak in place;
pendants, lockets and miniatures hung
over the doublet on similar chains;
finer chains, holding less conspicuous
jewels; rings for fingers and thumbs;
and a single earring, usually a pearl
drop, made up the sum of the jewelry
worn by men. In addition, belts, sword
and dagger hilts and their scabbards and
sheaths, hat bands and gloves could be
jeweled; and jewels were sewn into the
decorative patterns of garments. Gloves,
of gauntlet shape, were made of leather
or of silk, wool or velvet and were
often perfumed. They could be carried in
the belt, which could also hold the
purse and the large lawn handkerchief,
edged with lace or fringe, often with a
tassel at each corner.

MATERIALS, COLOURS AND
ORNAMENT

Velvet, brocade, damask (often in two
colors), taffetas, satin and plain or
watered silk were among the most popular
stuffs for making the clothes of the
well-to-do. Cloth of gold, colored silk
or gauze woven with gold or silver
thread, and gold or silver tissue shot
with such colors as violet, green or
crimson were among the stuffs worn by
people of rank. All colors were
available and yellow was especially in
favor, as were its variants of parchment
color, orange, amber and saffron.
Taffeta was woven with a raised, velvety
surface cut into patterns in a different
color from the ground and this treatment
was copied in less expensive materials.
Crinkled crepe was known, also watered
silk and parti-coloured weave, made to
look like marble and known as "marbled"
silk.

In more sober dress the fashion was for
cloths with a thick pile, plush, mohair
and tufted or knotted surfaces. Brown,
greys, russets, dull blue and dun color
contrasted in them with brighter shades.
In addition, all the ordinary kinds of
wool, linen and some cotton were in use.
Lace was in great demand for the
delicate edgings of caps, collars, cuffs
and standing ruffs. Hats and "bonnets"
were made of beaver, felt, smooth fur,
velvet, damask and any durable woolen or
silken stuff, and stiffened with buckram
or canvas, or sometimes starched or
stuffed with paper.

Slashing, the most characteristic
ornament of the period, was at its
height in the second quarter of the
century.

Pinking was the piercing and edging of
small holes, arranged in a pattern.
Small circular ornaments such as metal
rings, buttons or beads could be applied
in patterns. Tabbed or scalloped edges
and borders of fur were very usual
trimmings. Bands of embroidered or plain
stuff (guards) might be sewn on in
parallel lines, or parallel slashing
(panes) used to give the opposite
effect.

Embroidery and fine needlework were
widely practiced arts in this century
and was often done in colors, in black
on a colored surface, or in metal
thread. Jewels, particularly pearls,
were lavishly used as trimming but were
not necessarily real. Motifs included
conventionalized as well as naturalistic
presentations of flowers, fruit birds
and animals. Cutwork, (the edges of
material joined by strips in a cut-out
geometrical design) was used as a method
of seaming as well as for decoration,
and seams were frequently covered by
ornament of one kind or another.

One of the most famous examples of court
competition for glory came in 1520 at
the Field of the Cloth of Gold, when
Henry VIII met Francois I of France
(whose beard he had copied) and
displayed so much cloth of gold, an
expensive fabric woven with silk and
gold thread, that the site of the
meeting was named after it ("the Field
of the Cloth of Gold").